The ex-Reds winger, who controversially left Anfield for Manchester City over the summer in a £49million deal comes up against his former employers – and fans – at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening.

Keeper Hart, now his colleague for both club and country reckons the travelling Kop have now got over Sterling's departure – although whether Liverpool supporters agree with him remains to be seen – and heard.

He said: "Raheem is a very, very laid back guy and a great addition to our squad.

"He takes everything in his stride, I'm a big fan of his and will back him all the way. He's the same guy whether he's getting pounded in the Press or praised in the Press.

"The whole thing with Raheem has gone now. He got a few boos in pre-season around the world - Liverpool have got a big fan base - but they have got other things to worry about now.

"He has added a new dimension, a lot of speed, a lot of quality. He has scored a lot of goals for us and assists - he has added everything I expected from him.

"The way we play really suits Raheem. He has some really good players around him. He's a great person, he's a good pro and he's still a young guy. We would have given him a lot more breathing room than he has needed."